On August 17, 2011, as part of its social contribution activities, Primo Japan Inc. (Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Naoki Sawano), operator of Japan’s largest chain of bridal jewelry specialty shops, worked with the NPO Bridge for Smile to hold “Work Experience,” a career experience program for students living in children’s homes.
Work Experience is a program that gives middle and high school students who are facing important choices about their futures an opportunity to hear directly from working adults, and experience their actual jobs for themselves. Three high school students participated.
On the day of the event, the students arrived at the Tokyo head office from their respective facilities to meet project members from Sendai, Mito, and Fukuyama. The students and staff had lunch together and got to know one another better. Later, the group moved to our I-PRIMO Ginza store, where the students experienced wedding ring sales from the standpoint of both the customer and the sales staff. The students were somewhat hesitant at first, but as they gradually relaxed, they were able to speak up. Although this experience was only a role-playing exercise, it seems that a number of sales were made. Following the sales experience, the project members made their own presentation under the title “The Wonderful World of Work,” expressing their views of work and careers through questions they prepared such as “What does work mean to me?”, “What makes a job rewarding?”, and “What has been a challenge for me, and how did I overcome it?”
Our Work Experience initiative began last year. This is the second such event held since then. Building on our experiences last year, this year we called for a smaller number of participants, enabling the students to experience customer service in an actual store setting. We plan to continue this program on a regular basis going forward.
■Description of the Work Experience event
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Date: |
August 17 (Wednesday), 2011 |
| Participants: |
3 high school students, 8 Primo Japan employees, 3 staffs from NPO Bridge for Smile |
| Location: |
I-PRIMO Ginza store |
| Content: |
Engagement ring customer service experience (playing both customer and sales staff roles) |
■About the PRIMO RING PROJECT
Our CSR and other social contribution activities are conducted under the “PRIMO RING PROJECT” name, and involve a wide variety of activities. The name comes from the idea that the hopes and wishes of our customers, suppliers, employees, and our local communities form a huge “ring” of sorts, and from our desire to take the smiles of all these people who are sharing their happiness, to create as large a ring as possible.
Our social contribution activities are being particularly driven by a cross-company project team, centered around three employees from around the country who volunteer for the role. The first year project team was formed in April 2008, and today the third-year team is active. As a result of a greater focus on internal and external communications, this year we are seeing increased participation by employees other than the core team members. We have also gained the cooperation of our partner companies, and, in several cases, have worked together with these partners in our social contribution activities.
■NPO Bridge for Smile http://www.b4s.jp/index.html
Bridge for Smile is an organization that works primarily in the Kanto region to support children as they leave children’s homes and set out in society. Children unable to stay with their parents for a variety of family reasons live in these children’s homes, but once they turn 18, they must leave the facilities and begin living on their own. The NPO conducts programs to help middle and high school students facing eventual departure prepare for independent living, sees to their mental health once they leave, and provides housing assistance. The organization offers consistent support from middle school age and beyond, even after the children are on their own. This support is manifest in the courage the children develop as they tell themselves, “Through our own efforts and with the support of those around us, we can overcome any handicap. If we fail, all we need to do is try again.”